The best sports bars in San Francisco

a cute, accommodating Mission bar, creative cocktails (try the Mezcalifornia)

upscale Irish pub on Guerrero, sidewalk seating and sports on the TVs

pinball machines on loan from Pacific Pinball Museum, Polynesian-themed tater tots

Irish-owned and operated, dive-bar atmosphere

the corner of Shotwell and 20th has been a bar since 1891 (originally Schlichtmann & Bredhofy Grocery Saloon), current building dates from 1906 — bullet holes from long-forgotten scuffles are still in the walls

SF's second-oldest saloon location (1858 — only Old Ship Saloon is older), officially plaqued by E. Clampus Vitus (the wacky historical/drinking club)

opened mid-2025 in the former Pi Bar space (Valencia & 25th), bike-wheel-sized NY-style pies with bubbly puffy crusts

occupies the iconic Elbo Room space — 30-year history preserved (closed Dec 2018 as Elbo Room, reopened as Valencia Room), kept the original church-pew booth seating and pinball machines

a downtown football hideaway, RedZone on a huge screen

right at Oracle Park (Willie Mays Plaza), named for 1958 (the Giants' move to SF)

Montana-lodge decor — antler chandeliers, lots of wood, craft beer and a strong bar menu

a low-key sports bar near Oracle Park, cheap pool ($2 a game)

spacious second-floor tavern near Oracle Park, surprisingly fresh bar food

a dive bar's dive bar, pool table

post-work tech-crowd happy hour, high tables and wooden stools with brick walls

North Beach soccer pub (home of the SF Blues / Man City), Guinness and walls of screens

opened 1942 — North Beach's old-Italian-guys bar par excellence, Beat-era regulars (Ferlinghetti, Saroyan) drank here when it was already old

large selection of flavored whiskeys, pinball machines and darts

a friendly Geary Street neighborhood bar, a pool table and the game on TV

a chill, dimly-lit TL hangout, beer, wine, and cocktails with top-shelf pours

North America's 50 Best Bars list, Asian-influenced cocktails

a longtime, community-oriented gay bar, pool, pinball, and video games

gay sports bar, wall of TVs

FIRST new lesbian/women's bar in the Castro in decades, named for pioneer SF bar owner Rikki Streicher

a warm neighborhood dive (cash only), a well-stocked bar + a jukebox

a spacious no-frills dive by the Regency Ballroom, pinball, pool, and a jukebox

a dark Polk-area sports dive, shots of Fernet, naturally

free karaoke upstairs, a copper-topped bar and TVs

vintage arcade games, cheap highballs and 90s music

a big neighborhood saloon, walls of TVs, pool table and old-school arcade games

old-world English tavern, all brick, cocktails themed on Tales of the City

multi-floored sports bar, Skee-Ball, pinball, shuffleboard, pool

a longtime FiDi dive, cheap drink specials and pub grub

low-key downtown sports bar, a 49ers crowd

Embarcadero Center pub with founding-fathers decor, a good beer list and great wings

packed FiDi after-work pub, loads of beers on tap

exposed brick + big-screen TVs, late-night eats

family-owned since 1935, FiDi institution

an old-school, windowless dive, opens early; no hangover-inducing sunlight

arguably SF's best fish & chips, homemade sausage rolls and honey mustard

two-drink max on the Hurricane rum cocktail, pool tables and pinball

equal parts sports bar, dive bar, and tiki bar — fake torches, bamboo, and towering tiki masks, Wiki Waki Woo and Jageritas are the signature drinks

a gritty Inner Richmond Irish pub, an extensive whiskey selection

a British-pub-feeling Clement St brewpub, shuffleboard and games

a melting-pot Haight bar (gay, straight, everyone), cheap ~$5 pints

60+ pinball machines, working silk screen print shop attached

pool, pinball, and a jukebox, red banquettes and a chill vibe

warehouse brewery, shuffleboard and pinball

a New York expat bar (Yankees games on), red walls and a jukebox

unmarked door next to Bus Stop sports bar, velvet chairs

historic Harding Theater (1926), 50+ arcade games

a cozy fireplace and overstuffed sofas, an outstanding beer selection

sports-bar décor, pool table in back

dart boards, big-screen TVs everywhere

European soccer fan HQ, opens 7am for big matches

punk-rock dive, two pinball machines, $1 games

a no-frills Polk Street sports bar, flat-screens everywhere + a big beer list

a pirate-themed Polk Street bar, a pool table + flat-screens

open-air beer garden near the wharf, local brews plus cider & wine

famous bacon-wrapped tater tots, homemade Bailey's Irish coffee

formerly the New Amsterdam — setting of the Counting Crows song 'Mr. Jones', $3 drafts and wells 4–8pm daily

Cow Hollow / Marina edge — opened 1956, cash only

1900 Union Street's corner sports dive since 1900 — yes, since 1900, the bar's been continuous on this corner for 125+ years

tiki dive since 1937, scorpion bowls

established 1949 — 12 blocks from the Pacific Ocean, hockey-themed dive — pennants and memorabilia covering the walls ('a hockey fanatic's dream basement')

a revamped historic Dogpatch bar, pool tables and a jukebox

TWO cozy fireplaces, a wood-beam ceiling

on Pier 28, Bay views

wood-paneled Fillmore classic, pub grub, games, and the odd dance night

a Portola Drive neighborhood bar, perfectly-made cocktails

a big beer hall near Chase Center, acclaimed beers (the Sculpin IPA)

a Chase Center taproom with bay views, well-crafted house beers + local wine

Cole Valley pub across from Kezar Stadium / Golden Gate Park, soccer and rugby focus — Premier League, Six Nations, World Cup

an honest Excelsior corner pub, burgers that cure hangovers

since 1933 (Playland at the Beach roots), 300+ coin-operated machines

a proper English pub on Geary, draft beers and soccer on the telly

a Divisadero sports bar, plenty of TVs (they'll put on your game)

a textbook West Portal Irish pub, Irish beers on tap + the game on TV

est. 1926 — neighborhood institution, regulars call it 'GPS'